Did you know 2015 will be 250 years since James Watt had his ‘eureka!’ moment on Glasgow Green, and came up with the changes to the steam engine which kick-started the industrial revolution?
Glasgow has undergone many transformations since James Watt’s time; from the shipbuilding capital and industrial centre of the early 1900s, to the financial and services hub of recent years.
While the shipbuilding and financial aspects of Glasgow are well recognised, Glasgow’s green credentials are often overlooked. Did you know one of Glasgow City Council’s five key priorities is to become one of the most sustainable cities in Europe?
In 2015 Glasgow will hold a its first green themed year celebrating not only the existing characteristics of ‘the Dear Green Place’, but the transformation journey Glasgow is on, ‘From Steam to Green’. In line with the city ambitions, Glasgow seeks to lead the way in developing a green economy with sustainability top of the agenda.
The idea of holding a Green Year in 2015 was initially born out of the Glasgow’s bid to be European Commission European Green Capital, which recognises city’s striving for a green future. While Glasgow narrowly missed out to Bristol – Glasgow is not a city to pass up an opportunity to build a positive legacy for the city.
Bailie Liz Cameron, Head of the Bid team, championed a ‘Green Year’ as a fantastic opportunity to raise the profile of Glasgow’s green credentials.
The European Green Capital Bid identifies 12 key themes which combine to make a green city. Glasgow has taken the themes from the bid, paired each with a month and created a framework from which to develop a programme for 2015:
- January – Improving energy efficiency
- February – Buying fair and local
- March – Becoming climate resilient
- April – Using water wisely
- May – Being sound smart
- June – Reducing waste impact
- July – Looking after biodiversity
- August – Using more public and active transport
- September – Growing a green economy
- October – Creating quality open spaces
- November – Improving air quality
- December – Managing urban water
Underlying the 12 themes, 3 key strands make up Green Year. These include – Green Science, Natural Assets, and Green Change.
Green Year aims to highlight how much green transformation the city has undergone already as well as supporting some of our green ambitions for the future. As part of its commitment to a sustainable future, Glasgow City Council has an ambitious carbon emissions reduction target (30% reduction by 2020 from a 2006 baseline) and recognises the importance of adapting to and planning for climate change.
Glasgow is rising to the challenge and actively creating a better future.
More information on Glasgow’s Green Year can be found here: www.greenglasgow.com
As the programme develops, events and information will be posted on the website and the twitter feed: @greenglasgow #green2015.
We hope to see you there in 2015!